Bonjour, Bbydoll

Pop of Coral

2012-01-24T23:39:00.000+13:00

Something very strange happened the night we took these... Morne actually encouraged me to get outfit photos! Normally I’m the one ~~blatantly nagging~~ gently coercing him into taking outfit shots for me, but this time he talked me into it. I think his eagerness was a one-time-only thing. We don’t take outfit pictures very often but it only takes ten minutes of me and my “Is the light ok? Can you get another detail shot? Nah, that’s a bad angle. Tell me when my hair is all poofy next time!! Etc, etc” to put him off for another few weeks. Haha!

I bought this dress back in August last year when the first few spring things were starting to show up in stores. I love the pop of coral in the print, and the open sleeves are definitely a bonus in warm weather! I feel like summer is only just kicking in here, but we're almost at the end of January! I've bought a few items for autumn and winter already - two new jackets (this one and this one) and a really cute owl sweater that I can't wait to wear. When the winter sales from the US and UK start up online I can't help it and I always get so ahead of myself, eek.

California Dreaming Dress - Minkpink, Comma on Over Heel - Jeffrey Campbell

I've been working a lot over the past three weeks but I have a few days off in a row now, which feels like such a luxury! I can't wait to catch up with girlfriends, bake cheesecake and have a lazy day, preferably one that involves face masks and a Gilmore Girls DVD (I'm revisiting season six right now). My sister's baby shower is this weekend, too! I can tell this week is going to fly by already. (Oh yeah! Before I finish up, I would also like to say cheers to the kind soul that left their half-empty bottle of drink at the top of the steps there. I really feel like it added a special something to the shot! Bahaha.) Have a great week, everyone!

Coastal Sunset

2012-01-06T11:24:00.000+13:00

This was the view from the little beach villa we stayed at down in Taranaki before Christmas. Not bad, huh? One of my favourite memories of this trip was eating strawberries and pancakes for breakfast in our room, looking out the window to the ocean... right now I'm eating crackers at my desk and my view is of our overgrown backyard and clothesline. Hah! Can we rewind two weeks?!

For Christmas my Mum bought me a few dresses from my Modcloth wishlist that had just gone on sale, including this one. I wore it the night we had our main Christmas dinner and ended up being made fun of by my sister, who thought it looked like a nightie. It kind of went downhill from there and became a running joke that I was wearing a negligee to Christmas dinner... "This is great, you won't even have to get changed before you go to sleep" etc etc. Family! Don't you love 'em?

Ancient Alleyway Dress - Modcloth, Liuchiny Floral Wedges - Wild Pair

Did you have fun on New Year’s Eve? We just enjoyed a quiet one at home with DVD’s and dessert. So, a regular Saturday night for us, haha! Low-key nights like that are usually my favourite. I’ve set myself a couple of resolutions for the new year, the main one being to keep going to the gym – I joined about four months ago and it’s surprising how much I’ve enjoyed it! Well, maybe ‘enjoyed’ is the wrong word – but I do love the feeling of achievement and seeing results after years of being unfit and totally hopeless in that department!

To be honest I’m a little nervous about what 2012 has in store, or more specifically, nervous about the decisions I’m going to have to make to determine what 2013 has in store! This year will be my last year of my undergrad degree so once I’ve finished, I’ll need to figure out what’s next. Morne and I are hoping to move to Sydney (Australia) for our post grad studies, which is scary and exciting at the same time... I've got one more year to enjoy this stage of my life, though, and it's all part of growing up I guess! :) Hope you're having a great week!

$100 Shopbop Giveaway!

2012-01-03T22:02:00.002+13:00

(CLOSED)

Happy New Year! What better way to kick off 2012 on the blog than with a giveaway? Shopbop is offering one lucky reader of mine a $100 giftcard!

Juicy Couture 3/4 Sleeve Lace Dress, BB Dakota Sabrina Dress, Free People Starlight Party Dress

Marc by Marc Jacobs Retro Sunglasses, Madewell Lil Briefcase, Jeffrey Campbell Trudeau Wedge

I've shopped with Shopbop twice in the past and I've always been really impressed. They stock some of my favourite brands - Jeffrey Campbell, BB Dakota, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Sam Edelman... and their international shipping is inexpensive and fast. Shipping was free on both my orders since I spent over $100, and my packages always got to me within 3-4 days. Pretty awesome considering I'm so far away in New Zealand! Not having to worry about shipping costing half as much as your items when you're buying from overseas is a big bonus if you ask me.

So - want to win a $100 giftcard to spend at Shopbop for yourself?

To enter: visit Shopbop and leave a comment here letting me know what you would buy if you won the giveaway. Above are a few picks from my extensive wishlist!

For extra entries:

Tweet about the giveaway

Follow Shopbop on Twitter
Like Shopbop on Facebook

Follow me on GFC or Bloglovin'

~~This giveaway is open internationally and I'll draw the winner next Friday, the 13th of January. Good luck!~~
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations, Martina!

Three Sisters

2011-12-27T23:01:00.000+13:00

On the way back home from our early Christmas break down in Taranaki, Morne and I did a little beach exploring at the Three Sisters! Three Sisters beach is named after these once 25 metre tall rock formations – there used to be four of them, then three, and now there is really only two and a bit because they have been eroded by the sea over time. You can only access them at low tide and it was a bit of a mission to get to them, but so worth it!

We pulled off the highway down a narrow gravel track, parked the car, trekked through/sank into the sloppy sand that gets covered at high tide, and clambered over slippery cave side rocks... but coming around the corner to that above view was pretty magical. In this third photo you can see the remains of the third sister to the right, and to the very left you can see Elephant Rock, a rock formation which resembles - yep, you guessed it - an elephant. Hah! How cool is that?

Morne and I both wished we could stay longer because it was such an amazing spot, but the tide was coming in pretty fast around the corner, covering the path we took to get there. This is going to sound dorky, but it felt like a real adventure, and was such an awesome reminder of how beautiful New Zealand is. We're definitely inspired to take more trips and explore more gems like this now!

Ready or Nautical Dress - Modcloth, Hat - Country Road (borrowed from Morne)

I thought this nautical dress was only fitting for such a spot! It's one of my new summer favourites for sure - I can't get over the print and all the cute details around the top. It was really breezy and comfortable for the long, hot car ride home, too. And yes, it was necessary for me to hold onto my hat the whole time - it was so windy that it actually caught flight and had to be chased down the beach at one point, haha!

Did you all have a great Christmas? Mine was lovely and relaxing, and I'm enjoying the days after, with presents to play with and leftover treats to eat, just as much! This year I got perfume (Marc Jacob's Daisy Eau so Fresh), a popcorn machine, lots of fun baking supplies, some cute pj's and more. I've got another outfit post from over Christmas coming up as well as a great giveaway next week, so keep an eye out for that! Oh, and well done if you made it through my super long post today. ;) Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

2011-12-20T23:24:00.000+13:00

I'm sorry that it's been a little quiet over here, I'm going to blame the awful weather we've been having! Any chance Morne and I have had to take outfit shots has been ruined by the rain. The rain couldn't stop me from putting together a Christmassy post, though (and it was nice to listen to 'Baby It's Cold Outside' and for it to actually be relevant! Brr, it doesn't feel like summer at all here at the moment). First up - do you like my festive shirt and nails? The top is Red Velvet, the polish is Designer, De Better from the OPI Miss Piggy Range! You can't see in this photo but it has the prettiest faint red shimmer to it.

I had a lot of fun wrapping presents this year. I love getting creative with ribbon, tape, stamps, stickers, tags... you will see a little further down that I pretty much went all out, haha! All while listening to the (wonderful) She and Him Christmas album.

A new Christmas tradition I was excited about starting this year was my DIY advent calendar! I bought this amazing calendar from work and filled it up with sweet treats, a few Lush goodies, a mini memory book for Morne and some gifts in the big pockets at the end. If you want you can have a little look at the whole thing hanging up here!

And one of the aforementioned Lush goodies... Candy Cane Soap! This stuff smells incredible and doesn't it look so pretty?

Like I said, I went all out on my wrap and ribbon this year! And stickers and pegs and tags and goodie bags... haha! I managed to do most of my gift shopping earlier in the month so I'm all done, but I won't be able to avoid the mall this year - I have work on Christmas Eve! Luckily I'll have a little break from the retail-at-Christmas madness before then, as tomorrow I'm heading to Taranaki with Morne and the family for three days. I'll try and sneak an outfit post in while we are down there but if I don't post while I'm away, have a very Merry Christmas and I'll see you soon!

Cut it Out

2011-12-03T00:40:00.000+13:00

Isn't this dress fun? It's one of the items I swapped with my wonderful friend Tieka this spring. We do a couple of clothes swaps throughout the year and it always works out perfectly since we are in opposite seasons. I knew this pick would be hard to style in a unique way since it's so great on its own, but I fell in love with the colours and cute cut-out back and had to give it a go anyway!

This outfit is a little lazy really – cute dress + heels + swipe of lipstick = done! - but hey, I’m in a lazy mood! I got hit with a really bad flu about two weeks ago and I’m still not feeling 100%, it’s crazy how much being sick can take it out of you! I’ve been itching to get back into my normal routine, though. I never thought you could watch too many silly DVDs, read too many trashy magazines and eat too many popsicles... but after doing pretty much just that day after day I definitely got stir-crazy.

Dress - Swap with Selective Potential, Comma on Over Heel, Jeffrey Campbell via Modcloth

How is it December already?! I’m not complaining – like most poeple I love this time of year! Truth be told I’ve been getting into the Christmas spirit since our first Christmas delivery arrived at work a long time ago, but I’m so happy that it’s December and now acceptable to hang up my advent calendar, bake festive treats and blast my She and Him Christmas album. ;) I might have to do a Christmassy post soon, I have a few fun things to share with you!

Sheer Sunset

2011-11-16T00:45:00.000+13:00

First off, I'm glad to say that unlike last time, we weren't interrupted by a boot-camp during this photo session. The only interruption came in the form of my little nephew, who tagged along to take photos with us and distracted Morne with his cuteness. Haha! Anyway, this outfit includes a couple of new items to share with you guys! After my exams finished I decided to treat myself and bought a few things that I had been eyeing up online, including this dreamy top. Isn't the lace detail around the collar the prettiest? You can tell how keen I was to wear it by the still very obvious creases!

These floral wedges are also new. I told myself I wouldn't be buying any more heels for a little while, but I had a birthday voucher for Wild Pair that I needed to use and I'm pretty sure these had my name written all over them. I think they are such a perfect style for summer and c'mon... they're floral!

Sheer Your Story top - Modcloth, Jeans - Lee, Luichiny Floral Wedges - Wild Pair, Lipstick - Topshop Brighton Rock

Since my post-exam shopping spree, I've banned myself from buying clothes/shoes for myself until after Christmas. Because I can't afford to buy clothes and splurge on Christmas presents I briefly considered continuing to buy things for myself, wrapping them up and popping them under the Christmas tree as presents to give to Morne... but somehow I don't think he would appreciate a really cute dress or another pair of Jeffrey Campbell's. Guys are weird. ;)

These first weeks of summer holiday are going by ridiculously fast because I'm working quite a few hours, but I'm fitting in fun things too. This week I'm looking forward to a day-trip out of town with Morne, a girls night out and lots of Christmas shopping/planning! Yay. What are you looking forward to?

Black & Gold

2011-11-04T23:47:00.000+13:00

Has it really been almost three weeks since my last outfit post? Phew. This past month has been a blur of assignments, exam prep, busy days at work and a lot of of 'study breaks', otherwise known as 'procrastinating by watching all my favourite Parks and Recreation clips on youtube'. Oh boy. But I'm now finished for the year and have four glorious, uni-free summer months ahead of me! I'm so glad to have more time to read blogs, bake, hang out with Morne... and watch Parks and Rec guilt free. ;)

I've really been looking forward to posting an outfit with this top, which I adore. For what I consider to be a statement piece it's surprisingly versatile, and looks just as cute over a grey tee with jeans and flats! I've worn that combo a couple of times recently. It was a smidge too dark when we got these photos, but there's kind of a funny story behind that. When Morne and I had just started taking pictures, we were interrupted by a fitness boot-camp! Really...

Dress - Witchery, Crochet top - Scrapbook, Heels - Jeffrey Campbell

I'm talking a dozen women all geared up, lugging a massive rope, accompanied by a scary coach/personal trainer shouting vaguely encouraging things at them. They came out of nowhere, set up all around us, and started doing lunges right in the shot. No big deal... we found another spot in the gardens to take pictures at, and a minute later, they turned up there as well. Haha! It was bizarre. Yeah, I know, because getting your boyfriend to take pictures of your outfit to post on the internet isn't bizarre? Heheh... what funny/weird things have happened to you during photo sessions?

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-01T16:03:00.000+13:00

Hi guys! Just a quick post to say happy Halloween - or, happy day after Halloween for some of us! Halloween is one of my favourite days of the year and I've always wished it was more of a big deal in New Zealand. Ah well... I can make it a big deal in my house! Last night I made caramel apples + chocolate truffles, ate pumpkin lollies + candy corn and watched not-so-scary movies with Morne, because I'm a big baby and hate being scared. Hah! I'll be back with an outfit post (and my very first giveaway!) later in the week. :)

Hot Pink Hearts

2011-10-18T12:45:00.000+13:00

This post contains three things you don't see much of on this blog: jeans, my hair up in a bun and lipstick! Which is surprising, because I do wear jeans and my hair up a lot - I'm just working on the lipstick part. I used to feel really self conscious with super bright lipstick on, but I think in an outfit with these shoes it was essential! ;) It's always fun to try something different, too.

Speaking of which, while I'll always be a florals girl, recently I've been looking for (ie: spending wayyyy too much time online window shopping for) other fun prints to add to my wardrobe! I want a bird print top, a sailboat skirt and a chevron shift dress... but this heart blouse was too cute to pass up! I love its floaty, over sized fit and of course, the adorable print. This one is sold out over at Spotted Moth now but they also have a seriously pretty blush version.

Queen of Hearts blouse - Spotted Moth, Jeans - Country Road, Heels - Mi Piaci, Watch - Nixon, Lipstick - Brighton Rock, from Topshop

I know I've said this a couple of times already, but boy it feels good to be blogging again! I love planning outfits, going on little photo-taking missions with Morne, watching him climb a tree of his own accord so that he can get the shot that he wants... haha! I think he's enjoying getting outfit shots more than he would care to admit now that I have a nice camera! I also just received an amazing package from Tieka with our latest swap items, which I cannot wait to post.

I'm on study break now so my life for the next two weeks = prepping for my history exam, working on my research essays... and probably eating lots of junk food as per usual at this stressful time of year! I've been planning some Halloween baking too, yum. No matter how much study I have to do, there is always time for Halloween baking! And outfit shots. There is definitely time for outfit shots. ;)

Cookbooks and Crochet

2011-10-11T12:25:00.000+13:00

Since it will be another couple of days until I'll get the chance to take outfit shots again, I thought I would do the photo post I talked about and share my birthday loot. I love when bloggers I follow do posts like this, so I hope you enjoy it! The first picture is of course my main present: my new camera! I saved up for the majority of the money over a couple of months and then my Mum put in the last little bit so I could pick it up in time for my birthday. I. love. it.

Lush bath bomb tin and a magnaminty face mask from Morne, pretty French soap from my sister. I've probably talked about it on the blog before but I'm a little Lush obsessed. The mall that I work in has a Lush store and I can't walk by (or even smell the Lush scent wafting through the mall, haha) without going in for a look. The mask is an old favourite and I can't wait to try out all these bath bombs, even though they are almost too pretty to use...

Matryoshka Store-M's and microwave egg poacher from Morne, to go with the measuring cups and spoons I was given last Christmas. I'm definitely on board with the Russian Doll craze! I can't get enough of these cuties. And I felt pretty cool eating lunch out of my matryoshka lunch box at uni the other day, I must say. ;) I'm a dork...

A crochet top from Morne, via Wild Pair. I'll be wearing it in an outfit post soon!

Two cookbooks from Morne, The Vintage Tea Party Book and Miette.

These books are really different, but both are amazing. The food and DIY ideas in The Vintage Tea Party book are so fun and quirky and it's put together really beautifully. (Foxtail and Fern did a great post on this book here!) The Miette cookbook is just adorable. I can't get over the scalloped pages! It's all about pretty little cakes, tarts, cookies and candies from the Miette bakery in San Francisco. Both books have got me really excited to have more time to bake over the summer!

Cute cards, leftover birthday macarons. Alright, that's what I got! I'm heading downtown now for a few important things (ahem, new spring make-up) before finishing up some uni work this afternoon. Only three more weeks and I'm finished for the year, yipee. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Turning Twenty

2011-10-05T21:38:00.000+13:00

Two outfit posts in the space of a couple of days?! Go me. Yay for regular blogging again! Like I said in my last post, it was my birthday yesterday. The birthday fun didn't really start until I got home after work and uni last night, but I had a happy day regardless! I think it was Tieka that said a birthday should be like a national holiday just for yourself... yup, totally on board with that idea!

Once I got home it was a super relaxing and low-key night: dinner out with the family and Morne, then home for dessert (chocolate cake and macarons!) and presents. Oh my, the presents... I might have to do another post to share them with you, I got so much cute stuff! I'm currently sitting on/obsessing over the awesome office chair my parents picked out for me. Even blogging feels better sitting on this chair! A birthday present that helps with blogging? Score! Haha. I'm feeling pretty lucky and spoilt right now!

I was a little bit Elsie inspired in this outfit, mainly because of these amazing shoes. A few months ago I had been eyeing them up over on Modcloth, and when Elsie posted this outfit I knew they had to be mine! Seriously... the cherry red leather, the t-strap, the heel! What's not to love? They are actually really comfortable and easy to walk in, too. I told myself (and Morne) when I bought them that they would be my last shoe splurge for a little while, but my Jeffrey Campbell addiction continues on...

Dress - Mink Pink, Comma on Over Heel - Jeffrey Campbell via Modcloth

I was super excited to wear this dress too. This was the first new item I picked up for spring a couple of months ago and I've been waiting for warmer weather to make its debut! I couldn't resist the cut-out back, fun colours and, of course, the pretty floral print. Everything I love in a dress! It's so breezy and easy to wear, I can tell it will definitely be a summer staple.

Ok, I think that's quite enough of me blabbering on for one post! I'm off to eat leftover birthday cake and read the new cookbook Morne gave me, yay! You can't be too sad that your birthday is over if you still have sweet treats to eat and pretty presents to look at, right? ;) Have a great day everyone.

Blossoms

2011-10-02T17:17:00.000+13:00

First off... wow it felt good hitting that 'new post' button! Hi guys! I didn't mean to take a two month blogging break, I promise. It just sort of happened. And I'm glad it did! I think a little time away was exactly what I needed to get inspired and excited about blogging again. It's a new season now, I have a ton of outfit post ideas, cute spring clothes to show you and an awesome new camera (more about that in a sec)! I'm definitely back... but you didn't even notice I was gone, did ya? ;)

So this was Morne's first go using my new camera! I've wanted an SLR for a little while, but always made excuses for not getting one - it was a they're too expensive and I would rather buy shoes with that money type of thing. ;) I set my mind to saving up for one earlier this year and finally bought a Canon 550D last Thursday! I couldn't be more happy with it. These pictures were taken on the most basic automatic settings, because neither me or Morne know what the heck we are doing just yet, but even then they turned out great!

Top - Country Road, Skirt - Mink Pink, Tights - Columbine, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell

This outfit is a spring favourite which I've worn four times already, because I'm all for shameless outfit repeating. The top isn't too flattering in these pictures, but it has this bat-wing arm thing going on and is so comfy that I don't mind! I think my inner style blogger squealed inside when I saw these pretty pink blossoms down by the lake. Ok, I squealed out loud! I love seeing signs of spring popping up everywhere around town, on the side of the road and in other people's front gardens... but I love it in even more when spring shows itself in locations suitable for outfit shots. Haha!

Hmm, what else is new... it's my birthday next Tuesday! I wish I had the day off and could just head to the beach with Morne and go shopping, but it looks like I will be going to both work and uni that day, sigh. I do have some nice plans for that night though. I also have a fun outfit to wear to my birthday dinner, which I will be sure to post on Wednesday! See you then!

Swapped

2011-08-10T19:53:00.000+12:00

I'm so excited to finally do an outfit post with this dress! I've had it for months now and really need to send it back to its owner, my dear friend Kate of Postcards From. It came from Canada to New Zealand via Michigan - Kate sent it to Tieka to style up a little while ago! When I saw Tieka wearing this dress I left a comment on the post saying how much I loved it, and half jokingly told her to send it to me when she had finished with it. Well... Kate saw the comment and told Tieka to do just that and pass it along to me as a surprise! How cute is that? Hehe. I love blog friends.

Dress - swap with Kate, Cardigan - Dollhouse, Booties - Sam Edelman

I wore this for a birthday lunch out with Morne. He turned 22 yesterday! We had a big dinner with his family last night, and then a special lunch just for the two of us before uni today. So no, I didn't make him take outfit pictures on his birthday. Hah! I have some boundaries ;) The weather was gorgeous for his birthday too, which is why I wasn't cold at all in this light cardi. It felt like early spring today!

Speaking of which... I've started adding a few things to my spring wardrobe! I've got a few spring dresses put aside and I just splurged on some new Jeffrey Campbell's, eeek. Whenever I put a lot of hours in at work and am doing good at uni I feel like treating myself, which is a dangerous feeling to have! Ah well. I'm still on track with saving for my camera so it's all good! :) What have you splurged on lately?

Red

2011-08-01T21:27:00.000+12:00

I'm going to go ahead and state the obvious here... style blogging in winter is hard! I'm usually home from uni or work after dark these days, and when Morne and I do have time together during the day he doesn't always want to spend it taking outfit pictures. (I don't know why, it's so fun for him... ahem ;)) It's a shame because I love winter fashion and have tons of ideas for outfit posts, but not a chance to post many of them!

I shouldn't complain, there is a lot to love about winter. Nights by the fire, rainy days snuggled up inside, winter comfort foods, not having to shave your legs regularly (yeah, you know it's true)... and awesome coats, like this one! I've been saving this in my closet since January, when I bought it for $25 US down from $130 in a big UO sale. The shipping to NZ cost almost as much as the coat, but I was buying a few other things so it was well worth it!

Coat - BB Dakota via Urban Outfitters, Tights - Columbine, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell

I initially became obsessed with this coat after seeing it on Kate of O My Heart last November, so I was pretty thrilled to score it for myself so cheap. I wish I had some pretty snow to pose by like she did, but this spot had to do - even if the effect was a bit Christmas-sy. This coat also reminds me a little of another Kate.. Kate Middleton! Haha, see?!

And for some exciting news... we got a new dog this past weekend! You might remember that a few months ago our old dog became ill and had to be put down. It's funny, in a good way, having a dog around again! I'm meant to be working on assignments today but this little guy is super distracting. :) He's really lovely, I'll try get some pictures for my next post. Have a happy week!

Cosy Sunday

2011-07-18T23:47:00.000+12:00

Hmm, what was that I said about updating more frequently in the uni break? Oops. Winter break has been and gone way too fast - I'm one week into B semester now and already over my head in readings and assignments, barf. Morne and I had a little down time on Sunday morning to head out and take these. Or more accurately, I was mean enough to drag Morne out on a frosty morning to take pictures of my outfit with the neighbouring Sunday bowling club for an audience. But I made us pancakes for breakfast... so we're even. ;)

I felt really cosy and comfortable in this outfit, probably because this cardigan is the most cosy and comfortable thing ever. I'm pretty sure it's the closest thing to wearing a snuggly blanket in public without actually wearing a snuggly blanket, which can only be a good thing. I wish I had stocked up on all the colours before they had sold out! Unfortunately UO shipping to New Zealand costs an arm and a leg, or three... ouch. Have you scored any good online bargains lately?? I haven't shopped online for months so I need to live vicariously through you guys!

Cardigan - Urban Outfitters, Tee - Witchery, Skirt - Mink Pink, Belt - Country Road, Tights - Columbine, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell

I hope your week has gotten off to a happy start! I had a pretty busy Monday - a few hours at work, a few hours at uni, finishing up a history assignment and then crashing in front of the TV to watch Desperate Housewives, True Blood... and the Shortland Street feature length special. Kiwi bloggers - any Shorty fans out there? What did you think? Deliciously trashy or disappointing? Haha! Have a great week!

Winter Beach

2011-07-04T22:10:00.000+12:00

Ahhh... looking at these pictures makes me wish I was back on the beach right now. As you can tell by these photos, it was gorgeous. Freezing cold, but gorgeous! Like I mentioned in my last post, Morne and I took a little trip to Tauranga and the Mount on Thursday to look at the shops, eat at our favourite French cafe and watch the sunset on the beach! So fun.

I ended up unintentionally matching my surroundings pretty well in this outfit! I bought this sweater dress from Topshop for half price way back in January, when I was picking up a few winter items in the sales. I'm loving that it's finally cold enough to wear the items I bought in advance six months ago! This dress is insanely cosy and comfortable. I was roasting around lunch time, haha - but for the rest of the day it was just warm enough. This will be my go-to outfit on the most frosty of winter days!

Dress - Topshop, Tights - Columbine, Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell

I mean, really... how pretty is that beach shot? That truly is a testament to how beautiful New Zealand beaches are - they even look good through my crappy little camera! Haha! I've been saving like crazy for a SLR but it's taking forever. Those things are expensive, ugh. It doesn't help that I work in a store in which I want to buy everything, or that Morne's birthday is coming up... or that I really want these shoes. Hehe. Saving is hard.

I didn't think it would take me this long to update again, but the end of last week was kind of crazy and I feel really burnt out, blergh. I'm looking forward to a few chilled out days off from work this week - I have a stack of magazines that I bought in Tauranga, a Nigella DVD to watch and more dates with Morne planned! Wee. Have a great week everyone!

Lookout

2011-06-28T00:28:00.000+12:00

I don't know why Morne and I haven't used this spot to take photos before - it's really pretty! It was also really windy, which made for some amusing outtakes! It's hard to find new outfit photo locations in my little town so when we find a good one I usually stick with it for a while. When we were driving home through the countryside after our mineral spa last week I saw the most perfect spot for pictures: an old railway track, surrounded by beautiful trees that were still showing autumn colour. But Morne wouldn't stop, the big meanie. Oh well... we might just have to go back for another spa soon, hah!

Is this top the cutest or what?! It's the third item Tieka sent me in our last swap and I'm a little bit smitten with it. I love the lace collar, and in an ideal world, I would have styled it with an adorable little high-waisted cream lace skirt to match, but I liked the mustard and maroon colours together. Oh, and I don't have an adorable little high-waisted cream lace skirt to match. Hmm. If you see such a thing, let me know...

Top - Swap with Tieka, Skirt - American Apparel, Tights - Columbine, Booties - Jeffrey Campbell
Speaking of Tieka - she was kind enough to choose me as her summer featured blogger! If you haven't already, you should pop on over and read my interview here. Her past featured bloggers have been the likes of Tick Tock Vintage, Flashes of Style, Postcards From... so I'm in pretty great company! I have been bursting to tell you guys and I'm still so excited about it.

Morne and I are off to the Mount for a day on Thursday - the last time we were there was at the end of summer, as seen in this post! I can't wait to go to our favourite shops, eat crepes and have a chilly walk on the beach. Other than that, I'm not up to much else this week. On my days off from work, winter break = staying inside with books, DVD's, yum food, and lots of blog reading! Yay. :)

Sheer Sleeves

2011-06-21T11:26:00.002+12:00

Oops, bad blogger alert. Has it really been two weeks since my last post?! Hopefully I can post a little more frequently over the next few weeks because I'm on mid-year break now! I had my last exam yesterday and I think the stress of it all has caught up with me because I feel really crappy today - but I'm just happy it's done. I'm spending my first day of holiday in my pyjamas, eating cereal and blogging... ah, bliss!

This dress was another item I bought as soon as my shopping ban was over. Haha... I went kind of crazy after those three months, I probably ended up buying more than I would have without a ban! Oh well. I haven't done much shopping in the past few weeks though! This dress is really similar to another sleeved Mink Pink dress I have (worn here) but I feel like this one has more autumn/winter colours, as opposed to the winter/spring colours in the other dress. That's what I told myself to justify buying it anyway. ;)

Dress - Mink Pink, Socks - American Apparel, Boots - Orbit, Ring - gift from Tieka
You should have seen Morne's face when he realised I was wearing these socks over my tights. Pure disgust. "But whhhyyyy do you need tights AND socks? Why don't you just wear tights? They don't even match! They're bright red!" First off, they're burgundy. To match the burgundy in the dress. And why not wear socks over your tights? It's extra cozy! He wasn't convinced. Guys just don't get some things...

Tomorrow Morne and I are off on a little day trip to have lunch and a mineral spa, yay. We did the same thing after our exams this time last year, it's a fun way to celebrate being on winter break! I seriously can't believe it's this time already. Autumn and this past semester went so fast... now it's nearing the middle of winter and I'm halfway through my degree. Crazy! Isn't it funny how having a style blog and documenting your life through outfits can make you realise how fast the year goes? Have a great week everyone!

Winter Morning

2011-06-08T12:50:00.003+12:00

Ok, I have to power through this post super fast because I need to start studying in... 14 minutes. I've drawn up a study schedule and if I don't stick to it I feel really guilty, haha! Nerd. Anyway - I love mornings like this, when it's crisp and cool, but not freezing. We're officially eight days into winter but it has been really mild so far, which is fine by me - I'm in denial about the fact that autumn is over! ;)

I've worn this outfit a lot lately, but have only just got around to taking pictures of it for the blog. These little corduroy floral shorts were one of the first things I bought when I was done with my shopping ban last month. I spotted them in February and couldn't buy them, but by the time I could shop again in May there was one lonely pair left on the rack in my size! We were meant to be.

Shorts - Scrapbook, Top - Glassons, Cardigan - Topshop, Belt - Country Road, Shoes - Orbit

As you can probably tell from all the study talk, I haven't been up to anything exciting lately. Which sadly means what I wore today was very different from what you see in the pictures! As soon as we were home after taking these photos I changed into what has become my studying uniform - leggings, a tee, a big old cardigan and pink fluffy socks. Cozy and comfortable... but not exactly blog worthy ;)

I'm really looking forward to taking a night off tomorrow night to dress up to go out for dessert with Morne, and then hang out in front of Bones and Project Runway! We are insanely behind on American TV shows here so it's really tempting to look up on the internet and see what happens... but that would spoil the surprise, wouldn't it? Alright... I'm just procrastinating now, time to wrap this up! Have a great week, everyone!

Last Day

2011-05-31T21:19:00.002+12:00

Today was the last official day of Autumn. I can't believe tomorrow is the first day of June. How did that happen?! Sigh. I kind of tricked Morne into taking these outfit shots this morning. We've been so busy lately that we normally have to plan getting pictures in advance, but I was super sneaky on the way to uni today - "Oh, that park looks so pretty right now. Oh, my camera is in my bag! Oh, I just happen to be wearing Tieka's dress that I wanted to blog about! Oh, we're running early for once!" Muahaha. Of course he knew straight away that I had been scheming, but he took them anyway. What a good boyfriend.

Dress - Swap with Tieka,Scarf - Topshop, Cardigan - Glassons, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell
As I said in my last post, I've been having a lot of fun styling up a few of Tieka's autumn items from our latest swap. I liked this dress in particular because the print is so different to anything I have, but of course I incorporated it into a typical 'me' outfit. You can see how Tieka wore it here, I love how she toned down the bright colours with navy and black!

I'm so ready for this week to be over - and it's only Tuesday, haha! It's the last week of this semester so I have about a million things to finish, and once I've finished them, exams to start studying for. Eww. On the other hand, the mid-year uni break is only 3 weeks away and I'm already planning fun things to do on my days off work. 3 more weeks of hard work... and then three weeks of sleep-ins, day-trips, and cozy movie-days inside. I can't wait!

Autumn Path

2011-05-23T23:43:00.002+12:00

Oh, hello, new absolute favourite outfit of mine! I know this outfit is nothing new by my standards (pretty dress, tights and a comfy cardi, lace up boots, check check check) but that's just why I love it. Tieka sent me this dress in our latest swap and it really is perfection. Flattering, floral, autumn-hued perfection! It's actually still for sale at the Modcloth website. Would it defeat the whole purpose of a swap if I ended up buying one for myself? Nahhh. ;)

I've been looking forward to styling some items from Tieka's autumn wardrobe since she started doing fall posts last October, so when I got her latest package two weeks ago I was over the moon. Boy do I have some pretty things to show you! I can't believe how lucky I am to get to raid her closet. I absolutely love the way she wore this dress - especially since you can see the pretty sleeves!

Dress - swap with Tieka, Cardigan - Glassons, Tights - Columbine, Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell

Ok... I'm about to veer from happy-outfit-talk territory, into sad-life-talk territory. Our dog, Cait, had to be put down on Monday. It has been a strange and really sad week, getting used to not having her around anymore! She had lymphoma and was hurting a lot so it was the right thing to do, but it was pretty horrible all the same. The day it happened I had to go to uni and then to work for a performance appraisal, which actually didn't end up happening, thank god. I was kind of a mess that day, as you might imagine! It feels like losing a family member. It's funny how animals can become as much a part of a family as people can!

Alright, I need to wrap this thing up and go to bed! (Does anybody else sit down to write out a five minute blog post and end up taking an hour and a half? Yeah, that almost always happens to me). Have a great week everyone!

Rust & Black

2011-05-14T15:39:00.002+12:00

Am I right in thinking that this is my most autumnal post yet? These photos aren't edited, I swear - but look at that colour! Woah. I think I need to blog a lot more over the next few weeks. Since my shopping ban ended I've picked up a few more autumn pieces and I just received some amazing swap items from Tieka, so I want to get as many outfit pictures as I can before all the pretty colour disappears! The beautiful tree that I took the photos in my last post under is all bare now.. wahhh!

Dress - Scrapbook, Belt - Wild Pair, Tights - Columbine, Shoes - Orbit, Ring - Gift from Tieka

This dress and these shoes are recent purchases that I'm in love with - the shoes in particular were a little reward to myself for getting my new job. Not that I needed a reward, or an excuse to buy these shoes.. but humour me a little, won't you? I've had my eye on them since November and every time I went into the shop I would fall in love with them a little bit more. Now they are mine! Unfortunately Morne doesn't share my enthusiasm. I think his exacts words were, "Um. They're hideous". Hahaha. Boys.

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I went to see Katy Perry last weekend! She was incredible and it was a really fun show. The costumes were amazing, the air smelt like candy floss, her voice is beautiful live - she is beautiful live! Seriously. That woman is a freakin' goddess. This weekend is a little less exciting - I have a uni to-do list that's longer than my arm and a messy flat to clean! Do you have any fun plans?

Guess what?

2011-05-03T21:20:00.002+12:00

It's my one year blogiversary! Can you believe it? Because I can't - haha! When I was cooped up inside on a wet, cold, Monday afternoon one year ago, bored out of my brains, procrastinating over starting assignments and searching for something fun to do, I started a blog. Completely out of the blue. I didn't know then how much fun it would be, how many wonderful people I would 'meet' and how attached I would quickly become to my little piece of cyberspace. I have loved it.

I am so happy I decided to start this blog. The blogging community is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I really do appreciate every single one of my readers. Your sweet, thoughtful and funny comments make my day and I couldn't be more grateful for you guys. Thank you!

Dress - Modcloth, Cardigan - Jeans West, Watch - Nixon, Booties - Jeffrey Campbell

Ok... now it's time to talk about my awesome shoes! ;) I bought these online a few months ago from Urban Outfitters after having watched their price drop from $180, to $120 and eventually $80... and had to snaffle them up. I mean, c'mon! Brown leather with grey suede, a wedge heel, laces - what's not to love? The bottom panel of laces can actually be switched around to the back, which is fun, and they are really comfortable. What's up with Jeffrey Campbell being such a genius, huh?

I look super dorky in these last two pictures, but I couldn't resist. A big thank you to Morne, my trooper of a boyfriend and outfit photographer that continued trying to get a cool leaf throwing shot even though we were being leered at by pedestrians and people in passing cars. Oh, and another big thank you to Amanda, who has featured me as her blogger of the month this May! What a perfect way to finish up my first year blogging!

By the River

2011-04-28T18:29:00.002+12:00

Finally, an outfit post! Morne and I both had the day off yesterday so we went for a little lunch + shopping date in the city. We ate Nando's, perused the new mall, ogled the shiny new laptops and cameras we are saving up for, taste-tested yummy chocolates at the chocolate shop... oh, and Morne's car got crashed into at the traffic lights. It wasn't a serious crash at all so we ended up laughing about it and having a fun day anyway. Hah! Real life, aye?

Skirt - Scrapbook, Cardigan and Scarf - Topshop, Top - Glassons, Boots - Orbit
I wore a version of this outfit (with my tan suede booties instead) over the weekend in New Plymouth and didn't get any outfit shots, but this is an outfit I could wear again and again... and I probably will! I wore this skirt a lot last autumn/winter, but always paired black or grey - I liked how it worked with the tan cardi and scarf this time around! It was perfect for a chilly autumn day.

How is your week going so far? I enjoyed a lazy, pajama day today, crossed a few things off of my to-do list and read some more Pride and Prejudice! Today is catch-up day because I'll be spending the last few days of semester break working, then back to uni on Monday, and then - holy crap - I'll be going to the Katy Perry concert on Saturday! I can't believe it's that time already! Is this year flying by or what?

Eiffel Towers & Macarons

2011-04-26T22:20:00.001+12:00

Hi! I'm sorry I've been a bit MIA recently, I've been super busy and the weather has been too crummy for outfit shots, bleh. I do however have a few photos to share from my Easter weekend in New Plymouth, taken at my Mum's French themed 50th birthday party! It was a lot of fun - yummy food, cool people, French music, a cozy outdoor fire... and macarons! My sister and I took these photos on her fancy-pants Canon 550D, which I am in lovvvee with. (I need to stop buying shoes and save up for my own, ahem...)

You might remember when I blogged about these Modcloth Paris inspired cupcake kits here. I've been so excited to use them and was thrilled with how they turned out. I used a basic vanilla cupcake recipe that I already knew well, and pre-made Betty Crocker chocolate and vanilla frosting because I had to churn out 36 of 'em the morning of. Aren't they cute?! And tasty, too :)

Ahhh, the macarons. Mum and I are yet to make a successful batch of macarons ourselves so we ordered some from a specialty French shop in the city. Chocolate, coffee, vanilla, raspberry and cherry! Sooo good!

All the little details were so fun - like these Paris themed chocolates, and Eiffel Tower salt and pepper shakers (also from Modcloth, but now sold out, eek!)

Love this picture - cheesecake, anyone? My nephew is adorable. :)

And finally, my favourite part at the end of the night - cuddling up by the fire! I didn't get any outfit shots but you're not missing much, I wore this outfit with tights. I feel like I haven't taken outfit shots in forever! If it's fine I'm hoping to get some tomorrow, fingers crossed. See you soon and have a great day, everyone!

Pretty Pictures

2011-04-18T22:54:00.000+12:00

Another week has passed without a blog update from me, yikes! I started my job last week and it's going really well - my workmates are lovely and the shop is gorgeous! I'm happy to be super busy but I do wish I had more time for outfit posts, there is so much beautiful autumn colour around at the moment. In true style blogger form, I'm seeing potential outfit photo locations everywhere... hopefully I can fit in a few more posts over the next two weeks of uni break! I have the day off on Wednesday so I'll sneak in some outfit shots then, but for now here are a few other things making me happy.

After seeing this post on Amanda's adorable blog I had a serious pikelet craving, so when I had a bit of down time on Sunday I cooked up a batch. Ahh, soo good. Perfectly matched with whipped cream, cherry jam and Gossip Girl on a rainy Sunday afternoon!

I bought these shoes as part of my work uniform, I'm just a little bit obsessed with them...

And finally, pretty new beauty products! I typically don't spend a lot on make-up, haircare or that type of thing, but I couldn't resist picking up the Katy Perry for OPI Teenage Dream and Black Shatter polishes when I finally found them in Farmers. Teenage Dream is indeed dreamy, and I'm excited to try out the shatter polish soon. The Redken extreme anti-snap is just a little something I picked up after my hairdresser used it at my last appointment. Um, it smells like skittles. Knowing me I would have bought it on that premise alone but it also makes your hair feel super amazing. Love!

Ok, that's probably enough late night rambling. I'm off to stay warm and read Pride and Prejudice - I don't have the pictures to show it, but I also very much appreciate Jane Austen and electric blankets right now ;) Have a great week everyone!

Ruched Sleeves & Autumn Leaves

2011-04-11T22:00:00.002+12:00

Oh jeez... I've rephrased this first paragraph far too many times. It also took me half an hour to come up with that title right there. Taking an excessive amount of time to complete an easy task, check, cracking up over my lame rhyming post titles, check... it must be Monday! I can also tell it's Monday because I'm scoffing mint choc Tim Tams in front of Desperate Housewives, but you probably didn't need to know that ;)

I bought this dress at the end of winter last year and it's still an absolute favourite of mine. The print, the ruched sleeves, the zipper... love love love! I wore this for a movie and late night shopping date with Morne last week. I picked up a few more pieces for my work uniform and swooned over all the pretty new Autumn arrivals in Country Road, then we went to see Red Riding Hood - yay for date nights!

Dress - Scrapbook, Tights - Columbine, Wedge Booties - Sam Edelman, Ring - Tree of Life

I've got another busy week ahead of me - I've finished all my assignments for now, but this week I finally start my new job! I'm helping unpack the store after class over the next few days and then my first real day is the big opening day on Thursday. Woohoo! I'm not sure when I will be able to update again, I might pop in with a photo post sometime this week. It's getting harder to fit outfit shots in now that it's getting dark earlier - oh the perils of style blogging! ;) Have a great week, everyone!

Floral & Suede

2011-04-04T22:08:00.000+12:00

Hello! The top half of this outfit is a bit of a disaster... I originally had a tan cardigan on which definitely pulled the whole look together but it was just. too. hot! Damn you, misleading trans-seasonal autumn weather! I'm ready for it to be consistently cool now. Ah well, I like the outfit anyway - and I promised floral shorts!

Are they not the cutest shorts ever? The sweet print, the colours, the pretty trim... perfect. I wore them for the first time to uni today and they get quite wrinkled after hours sat in a lecture theatre, but I don't mind. As I said here my Mum bought them as a surprise gift from a cute little local boutique. I had spotted them last spring and when Mum saw them on the sale rack with 50% off she snaffled them up for me! Yay!

Speaking of spring, I have a funny feeling I'm going to get a few "that's such a cute spring outfit" type of comments on this post - I've been getting a lot of those lately! I'm in no way complaining, I love all the comments I get, but it always make me chuckle when people jump straight into thinking I'm in the US or Europe and therefore experiencing spring. People outside of the Northern Hemisphere can blog, too - and it's autumn here! Hehe. I hope I didn't sound mean for saying that.

Shorts - local boutique, Tee - Dotti, Tights - Columbine, Wedge booties - Sam Edelman

This past weekend consisted of my last day at my old job and working on assignments - oh, and wasting an obscene amount of time on Damn You Auto Correct. Worst idea of my life. Now I have blogs, facebook and DYAC to help me procrastinate! Morne and I were in tears scrolling through that thing, it's too addictive. Anyway - before I go, I was featured here and here this week! Thank you so much, Amanda and Melissa! Have a great day, everyone!

Forest

2011-04-01T11:41:00.002+13:00

When Morne and I took these photos a few weeks ago I didn't like them all that much, mainly because the lighting was a bit off - but I've taken another look at them today, edited them like crazy and quite like them now! Does anybody else do that, or am I just weird? Hmm... don't answer that ;) This dress is one of my favourites and I loved how it looked with the bright orange cardi.

Dress - Little One, Cardigan - Billabong, Brogues - Topshop, Ring - Tree of Life

This is just a mini outfit post really - I still have so much to do and not enough time to do it in! I gave myself the afternoon off from uni work yesterday to go uniform shopping with my Mum. I'm still on the shopping ban, but the boyfriend has made an exception because I didn't have any smart black basics and I start before the ban is over. I got the cutest little low heeled black brogues, a black high waisted midi length skirt and a few pretty black blouses - after more than three years of horribly unflattering regulation pants and an awful striped shirt at my old job... I'm so excited to wear a cute clothes to work! Ok, have a great weekend and I'll see you next week - I have some floral shorts to show you ;)

Green

2011-03-29T15:40:00.000+13:00

Hello! As you can probably tell from this outfit, Autumn is really setting in here. The days are still really warm but it's super chilly at night and verging on tights and cardigan weather... wee! I have so many ideas for Autumn outfits and cute posts but not enough time to carry them out! I'll see how it goes though - better to have too much inspiration than none at all, right?

I wore this out to my little brother's birthday dinner on Saturday and thought it cute enough to reenact for the blog last night. I've been hoarding this jacket in my wardrobe since I picked it up last November and I'm so happy to finally wear it! It's so comfy - and when I wear it all zipped up, I feel like some sort of badass action movie character... It's ok, I give you full permission to laugh at me for admitting that...

Jacket and Lumberjack Booties - Spotted Moth, check top - bought in Paris, Jeans - Lee

Alright, I need to finish up this post, catch up on blogs, and then get cracking onto uni work - I have three assignments due the week I start my new job, so I've been writing like a mad thing to get them done in advance so I don't have to stress over them that week! I know it will be worth it when I can just focus on settling in there, but right now it's driving me a bit nuts. I have a lot to be excited about at the moment though so I can't complain :) Happy Tuesday!

Frankie & Floral Shorts

2011-03-25T12:13:00.000+13:00

Hello! Firstly, thank you for all the sweet comments about my new job! I'm beyond excited right now - I met my soon-to-be boss yesterday, I'll be helping to unpack the shop in two weeks and in just under three weeks it will be open! Ah! Anyway, I won't have a chance to get outfit shots for another few days so I thought I would pop in, say hi, and show you a few other things making me happy at the moment.

When I got home from work at my current job last Saturday night I found a surprise in my flat. I wasn't in the best of moods - getting up at 6am on a Saturday to work for ten hours does not a happy girl make - and this completely made my day. My Mum had bought me the latest issue of Frankie and a pair of floral shorts I had been obsessed with for months (but couldn't buy - oh hey shopping ban, I hate you!) They are the prettiest things and I can't wait to wear them for an outfit post soon! Thank you, Mum!

Speaking of my Mum... I'm obsessed with these Parisian cupcake kits and Eiffel Tower salt + pepper shakers we picked up from Modcloth for her upcoming French themed birthday party. Aren't they adorable? I can't wait to use them.

Ever since I got my bike I've been falling in love with cute little bike themed items everywhere. My sister gave me this fun tote bag (bought from here) and I'm dreaming about this EmersonMade bicycle print dress. Swoon...

As I mentioned a few posts ago, I've been on the hunt for a good macaron recipe book. The first and only time I made macarons was a complete flop - the shells were cracked and discoloured and then I sort of dropped the whole tray on the kitchen floor, oops. This book seems very helpful so I'm looking forward to giving them another try! And finally... I have been listening to Adele's 21 non-stop since I picked it up last week, and I can't get over the video Kelly Ann posted of her here. Amazing! Have a great weekend - and thank you for bearing with me while things are a little quiet around here! :)

Last Light

2011-03-18T21:56:00.000+13:00

Hello! I'm going to keep this post super quick tonight - this week has been pretty full on and I'm just about ready to fall asleep on the couch! Along with general uni craziness, I was really sick and had a job interview, which if you follow me on twitter know went very well :) All in all a hectic, but happy, week!

Dress - Mink Pink, Cardigan - Glassons, Booties - Sam Edelman via Shopbop

I wore this dress a couple of posts ago, but paired with a soft cardigan and wedge booties it feels totally different than it did here. To be honest I think I prefer the first way I wore it, but never mind. Does anybody have fun plans for the weekend? I have work as usual and an Irish history paper to start... blergh. Have a great weekend and I'll see you next week! :)

Autumn

2011-03-10T15:24:00.000+13:00

Hello! First off, can we just talk for a second about my beautiful new blog design? I'm in love with it! I'm not even ashamed to admit that I'll stop by my own blog every now and again, just to take a look... haha. Tieka is an absolute genius! Man I love that girl. I couldn't be happier with how the blog looks now!

This outfit didn't originally include the cardigan but it was a little chilly to go without one, and looking at these photos now it only seems appropriate to have a little seasonal colour in my first Autumn outfit post! The weather is at that funny stage where it's freezing in the morning so you rug up all warm to head out for the day... but on the drive home you get sun burnt and your car feels like a sauna. Hah! And then it cools down nicely again in the evening in time for pretty sunset outfit shots ;)

Dress - Modcloth, Cardigan - Jeans West, Splendid Sandals - Jeffrey Campbell

I can't believe it's been two weeks since my last outfit post... yikes! For the time being, good university student = bad blogger, but I promise I'm getting the hang of balancing the two again :) I'm pretty happy with my classes this semester and I have Friday's off, yay! It's only 3pm on a Thursday and my university week is over - can't complain about that!

I'm not up to much tonight, aside from cooking dinner and watching Bones with Morne, and tomorrow we have a little shopping + lunch date in town planned. I'm still on my clothes shopping ban, but I need to stock up on a few things from Lush, I'm on the hunt for a really good macaron recipe book and I need some new music to listen to on the way to uni! It's funny - now that I'm not so focused on spending my money on new clothes, I'm getting around to buying the things I have been meaning to for ages, and still saving a ton on top of that. A good side effect of this thing the evil boyfriend has got me onto, I suppose ;) Anyway, I hope you're having a great week! Happy Thursday!

A Photo Post

2011-03-02T08:16:00.000+13:00

Please bear with me if things are a little quiet on the blog front this week, while me and my outfit-photo-taking-boyfriend get back into the swing of things at uni. It's going to be strange working outfit shots and blogging around classes and assignments again - I think I'm going to have to spend a little time working on a blog schedule! Until I find time for outfit shots here is a little photo post with a few of the things making me happy this week. As for the first photo, isn't the March cover of Vogue Australia pretty?

I've started planning a few outfits for Autumn - I'm probably getting ahead of myself because although Autumn has technically just started here, it won't cool down for another month or so! But I can't wait for the leaves to change colour, for tights, booties and autumn dresses in rusty oranges and browns.... I love it.

Two of my favourite things about starting a new semester at university = shiny new stationery, and my floral backpack! It's missing a buckle but I love it so.

And finally, leftover Valentine's Candy and my card from Morne! Phew... I don't think I've ever blogged this early before (it's 8am) but I wanted to get this done before I head out to a lecture. My timetable is actually pretty good and I have Friday off so I will soon get into posting more regularly! Happy Wednesday!

Mount Maunganui

2011-02-24T12:50:00.000+13:00

Yesterday, Morne and I took a trip to Tauranga and Mount Maunganui beach for our last little Summer day out before classes start next week. I know I said I was excited for uni and all, but yesterday was too much fun... Can I just go back to the beach and stay for a week, please? Or for a month? Ok, cool. Haha! I'm going to miss Summer a lot more than I thought I would! Silly me.

We started off lunch at my favourite little french cafe - french toast for Morne and choco banane crepes for me. We then perused our favourite shops, and when I say "perused our favourite shops" I mean Morne dragged me past the clothes shops while I stared in longingly with my sad face on. Haha. I could however shop at the magazine, music and book stores - luckily my shopping ban doesn't extend that far! We finished off our day with iced coffees and a walk along the beach.

Dress - Modcloth, Hat - Billabong (borrowed from Morne), Necklace - Glebe Markets in Sydney, Watch - Nixon

I know I was just talking about my shopping ban, but this dress is new. Oops... Let me explain: A few months ago, I spotted this dress on Modcloth, fell in love, and waited for pay-day to roll around so I could make it mine. Sadly come payday it had sold out, and while it was restocked twice, each time I was too late and that horrible little orange "out of stock" bubble popped up! I didn't expect it to go on sale again but last week I got the email, found there was 1 left, in my size... these were exceptional circumstances, people! It was meant to be! Luckily for me, Morne agreed and let me snaffle it up. Even though I've broken it I'm still going to continue with my shopping ban, and I think this dress was worth it! The owl print, the colours, the cut - it's perfect for my style!

I keep forgetting to share it with you, but Style Clone have done cute little feature inspired by a recent outfit of mine - you can check it out here. I love how they described my style. I find it quite it difficult to describe my style but I think "relaxed and girly with a twist" is pretty much spot on. This outfit was a perfect case in point - a comfy dress, minimal accessories... and a hat stolen from my boyfriend!

Before I go, I just want to say thank you to those of you who sent concerned emails/tweets/comments my way in regards to the awful Christchurch earthquake. I'm in a different part of New Zealand so it didn't affect me, and while I have friends who attend uni there who have just returned for the new year, they are safe. I'm extremely lucky, that's for sure!

A little bit Zooey

2011-02-21T15:39:00.000+13:00

I think I'm too sleepy to be blogging right now - I have written and rewritten this paragraph far too many times. Ah well, I'll get on with it and then have my nana nap, haha! I've been so excited to do a post with this dress from my latest swap with Tieka. I love how Tieka paired it with pretty neutrals (here), and thought I would try it with some colourful bracelets and heels. As she said, this dress feels very Zooey Deschanel in her 500 Days of Summer role! A little bit of Zooey is never a bad thing.

Today is the start of the last week of Summer here, which is a little bittersweet. I love Summer and having time off from everything but I'm actually excited to get back to uni and get into a routine! I know three weeks in when I'm knee deep in assignments I'll wonder why on earth I was looking forward to it... but for now, I'm excited! Haha. I'm also excited for cooler weather and making use out of my Autumn and Winter wardrobe!

Dress - Swap with Tieka (Bleubird Vintage), Heels - Orbit, Bangles - Diva

As you might have noticed, I've been playing around with editing my photos in Picnik. Apart from the occasional crop I've rarely done anything to my photos so this is all very new to me! I do think that this vintage effect goes with the look of this outfit, but I can't decide if I like these better than the originals, or other unedited photos on my blog - what do you think? I would love to know.

I won't be up to much this week, apart from getting everything sorted for uni, and Morne and I have planned a little day trip out of town on Wednesday - which I will of course blog about! See you then!

Valentine

2011-02-15T12:41:00.001+13:00

Hello! Happy Valentine's Day - or day after Valentine's Day, depending on which part of the world you're in! I wore this outfit for a dinner and dessert at home with Morne last night. As I said in my last post we didn't plan on going out, but it was fun to get all dressed up anyway!

This dress was the Valentine's present I picked out from Morne. I'd been eyeing it up since before Christmas last year but am glad I waited because it was initially a bit expensive and he got it for sale price! I love how understated and simple it is, and it has a really cute sweetheart neckline (which my hair is obscuring, oops).

And the shoes are of course my new Jeffrey Campbell's I've been blabbing on about! I gave up on finding any black suede Splendid Sandals last year when they were practically sold out everywhere, but when I was up in Auckland a few weeks ago I randomly saw a pair in store in Newmarket! I managed to pry myself away from them but then came to my senses and ordered them over the phone a few days later. I absolutely love them. Their arrival (and price tag, bahaha) did however prompt Morne into challenging me into a 3 month shopping ban.. eek. It began at the start of this month so no shopping for me until May! I think I can do it...

Dress - Mink Pink, Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell Splendid Sandals (via Andrea Biani), Bracelets - gifts from Morne, Nail Polish - Revlon Raven Red

Our Valentine's dinner and dessert was really delicious and fun, we cooked pasta together and pigged out on chocolate pavlova, chocolate mousse and the crazy amount of candy I bought! We still have a ton left over, which is fine by me... pavlova is even better when it's for breakfast. Haha! I'm definitely in need of an extra long bike ride this afternoon... Hope you're having a happy, love-filled V-Day!

PS. This post wouldn't be complete without a picture of Morne in the wolf print shirt I got him, looking particularly wolf-like himself because he's in desperate need of a shave and a haircut ;)

Pink Hearts

2011-02-11T17:12:00.001+13:00

I thought it might be fun to do a little Valentine's Day inspired outfit post, so - here it is! I'm sorry that these photos are a bit blurry, we took them a smidgen too late and might have been in a rush because Bones was starting in five minutes and I didn't want to run home in these heels... you know how it is ;)

What better dress to wear in a Valentine's post than my pale pink, heart print Topshop number! I bought this dress early last August when it was freezing cold winter, and I found it too adorable not to wear straight away. I managed to incorporate it into a winter outfit with my zipper boots, black sweater tights and winter coat but I think this is how it's meant to be worn - all dolled up and with lots of pink! I love the little cut outs on each side and the cute collar.

Dress - Topshop, Shoes - Mi Piaci, Lipstick - Topshop Lips in Brighton Rock

I've been having a lot of fun planning this Valentine's Day. Morne and I aren't doing anything too fancy, just having a nice dinner and dessert at home, but I've gone a bit nuts buying sweets to decorate my dining table with (I like my decorations to be mostly edible...) and we are going to dress up even though we won't be going out. I will of course be getting outfit shots, and finally showing you my Jeffrey Campbell shoes! Weee! Right now, though, I need to wrap up this post and go catch up on the INDIE blogger conference that started today! See you next week!

Vintage Floral

2011-02-07T15:22:00.001+13:00

If I'm being honest (and also very dramatic) it was practically a miracle that we got any usable shots today, the rain, humidity and my camera's battery life were all against us this morning! I was hoping to show you my beautiful Jeffrey Campbell shoes but they aren't the kind of shoes you wear in the rain, ahah- so the little brown brogues again it is!

Dress - Urban Outfitters, Shoes - A Little Brighter's vintage shop, Watch - Nixon

This dress is a favourite of mine mostly because it's just really pretty, I love the colours and vintage looking floral print. But it's also versatile - I've worn it dressed up to go out to dinner, casual with flats and light cardigans in spring and summer, and would love to wear it with maroon tights and a big cream cardigan like Maria did here! I sense a Lulu Letty inspired post with this dress and my bike coming up in Autumn...

Did everyone have a fun weekend? Mine was a little on the stressful side because my hours and department at work have been changed and I have a feeling it's going to take a lot of getting used to. I did however have a wonderfully relaxing night in with Morne last night. We watched Paperman with Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone (I love those two), which was a really quirky and sweet film! I'll be spending today inside watching more movies and avoiding the heat and rain, but I'm hoping to do a fun little Valentine's Day-inspired outfit post later in the week - see you then!

Plum cake, packages and prints

2011-02-04T11:30:00.001+13:00

I haven't done a photo post in a little while and Morne isn't here for outfit shots today, so I thought I would share with you a few of the things I've been up to lately, in photo form! February is my last month of summer holiday (I start back at uni on the 28th!) so as well as getting everything organized for that, I'm enjoying my free time while I still have it :)

I've really been loving the Jamie Oliver magazine lately - the November '10 issue had some amazing plum recipes so Mum and I have been trying out a few using our homegrown plums. Above is the plum upside down cake, which is really delicious, and don't you love how pretty and pink it is?!

I received a big box from Urban Outfitters on Wednesday with the Autumn/Winter items I talked about in my last post, including chunky knitwear, a wonderful coat and as you can see... some Jeffrey Campbell shoes! In the past two weeks I've bought two pairs of Jeffrey Campbell's - one for a steal, the other not so much! What it is about that brand that makes me spend so much money, I do not know...

I finally (and I mean finally, I bought it a year ago!) found a cute frame and hung up my Made By Girl 'I love you, blogs and tea' print! The frame doesn't fit 100% but I don't mind, I'm just glad to see it finally up on my wall.

I also hung up my Kikki K DIY Calendar - is it horribly narcissistic to put a picture of yourself on your own calender? I just really love that photo of my bike!

I was given these two books for Christmas, Pattern by Orla Kiely from my Mum and What Shall I Wear Today? by Fifi Lapin from Morne. Both are seriously adorable and inspirational. I've been making my way through them over the past few weeks and have even been getting outfit ideas- particularly from the spread in Pattern above!

Happy Friday! I'm hoping to get some outfit shots this weekend, but if not - see you next week!

Checks and Stripes

2011-02-02T23:07:00.001+13:00

Hello! Lately a few of my readers in the US and Europe have been commenting on how much they like getting a glimpse into summer when they read my posts, which I love! I hope they enjoy this post, which I feel is particularly summery.

This dress was a Christmas gift two years ago, and I loved mixing the check print with Morne's stripey hat - I bought it for him so that gives me rights to borrow it whenever I want, right? Heh. I've been searching for a hat of my own all summer but all the women's hats I have tried on are too small for my head! Ugh. I think I need to go back to the Country Road men's section and buy one for myself, I can't rob Morne of his too often!

Dress - Country Road, Hat - Morne's (also from Country Road), Flats - Garage, Watch - Nixon, Bracelet - Wild Pair

This morning, we went shopping together for Valentine's Day gifts - some people might think this takes the surprise and romance out of things but it was so fun, and getting to pick exactly what you want is always a good thing! I must say I have an extremely patient boyfriend, who waited for me without complaint while I took my time deciding between the leather satchel, high waisted corduroy floral shorts or tan and white sundress... tough decision, I know. Once we got home in the afternoon we came down to the lake, found this very spot here in the shade by the water, laid out a picnic rug and just read for a while :)

I'm still expecting two of the packages I spoke of in my last post, but I'm hoping they will arrive in the next few days - I'm excited to share everything with you! Well, almost everything - I received a few amazing Autumn/Winter items which have been stored away for cooler weather. Hope you're having a happy week!

Yellow

2011-01-28T14:57:00.001+13:00

Hello! First off - I've been making some adjustments to the blog layout to try clean it up a bit, so please bear with me if things disappear or pop up in the wrong places! I'm hopeless with this type of thing but can't seem to stop fiddling around until I'm completely happy with it. But anyway... the outfit!

This, minus the heels, has been my go-to outfit lately. The heels were a slightly random, last minute choice - I normally pair this loose tee and breezy skirt with my little brown brogues, but thought the outfit needed a pop of colour! I just realised this is essentially the summer version of this outfit, shot in that same place no less.. whoops! Hehe.

Tee - Glassons, Skirt - Scrapbook, Heels - Orbit, Belt - Country Road

This week has been busier than usual - well, busy by my Summer holiday standards anyway, hah! On Wednesday I headed up to Auckland and miraculously managed to walk out of my favourite shops with only the essentials (notebooks and pens for uni from Kikki K, and a cute laundry bag from Peter Alexander). I also got my hair cut earlier in the week and went to the library today for the first time this summer, shame on me! I got out some awesome vegetarian cookbooks so I can't wait to read through them and try a few new things out.

I was also featured twice this week: in a little interview here, and in part three of Melissa's Health and Fitness series! I had a lot of fun writing that piece for her and some of my favourite bloggers contributed too, so go have a look :) Well I'll be back next week with hopefully some pretty new things to show - I'm waiting on a few packages, eee! Have a great weekend!

Waterfalls

2011-01-24T19:24:00.004+13:00

Hello! It hasn't been my intention to only post once a week - promise! I've been feeling a bit uninspired by my wardrobe, and the weather has turned so wet and stormy these past few days that it's been hard to get together some summery outfit shots! This was another dress I nearly put away for the cooler months. It's quite short so when I don't wear it with tights I feel a little self conscious! I do love it though.

Dress - from Bondi Markets in Sydney, Cardigan - Glassons, Belt - Country Road, Shoes - A Little Brighter's Vintage Shop

I'm not entirely sure why I'm looking down in all of these photos, I was either admiring my shoes or trying to avoid getting my fringe in my eyes. (Probably a bit of both. I have a hair appointment tomorrow, thank goodness!) We were being eaten alive by mosquitoes when we got these! I'm doing some interesting things with my legs in the above picture because I was trying to hide my red itchy bites, haha! The things we do for blog pictures...

Morne and I headed into the city today to have lunch and go window shopping. In hindsight the window shopping was maybe a bad idea... I saw so many clothes I want. And it always causes me pain when I have to walk out of Lush empty handed. I need to make a note self: 'Window shopping is never that fun'. That, and 'Wear insect repellent when taking blog photos'. Hah! Happy Monday!

Black and Blue

2011-01-17T17:20:00.001+13:00

When I was separating my closet into Autumn/Winter clothes and Spring/Summer clothes recently (I know, I'm a bit late - being one and a half months into summer and all) I was going to put this dress away for the Winter. It's fabric and cool colours definitely seem more winter to me, but I decided it could still work in Summer! It was nice and breezy to wear, thank goodness - it was HOT today.

Dress - Scrapbook, Flats - from Paris

As you've probably noticed, my Summer style is very simple - I've been looking through the blog and have realised I really need to get better at accessorizing! I need to make my dress and flats combinations a little more interesting, haha! I feel like Autumn and Winter outfits are so easy to put together because you can layer and layer, but in Summer you rely more on accessories to make an outfit work. Does that make sense? Or is the heat affecting me more than I thought? ;)

Can you tell I'm feeling a bit nostalgic for cooler weather at the moment?! Of course I'm loving being on Summer break, but I'm actually getting excited to go back to uni and for Autumn to set in! I've been looking up cardigans and boots online and trying to snag a few pieces in the American and UK sales so I can build up my winter wardrobe way in advance. I picked up an amazing knitted dress and tan cardigan from Topshop for half price, and I'm completely obsessed with these Jeffrey Campbell wedge booties from Urban Outfitters! They are down to $80 now and I'm so tempted - it's a pity they charge $40 to ship to New Zealand! I don't think I'm prepared to pay another half of what the boots cost to get them here. Sigh. Anyway, that's probably enough boot related rambling - I hope you all had great weekends! See you soon!

Rose Garden

2011-01-11T12:41:00.001+13:00

Hello! I can't believe I haven't posted in a week! Eek. I recently promised myself that I won't post anything I'm not 100% happy with, so when I got some outfit shots on Friday that I didn't really love I just decided not to post at all. I'm sure you all understand, and appreciate quality over quantity anyway! :)

I don't own many spaghetti strap dresses because they aren't too great for my body type (ie: big boobs. Haha!) but I couldn't resist this one. I love the colours of the print and yes, it's floral. 'Another floral dress?' I hear you say. 'Really, Eleanor? Because you don't have enough floral in your wardrobe already?' Hehe... (No, I don't, by the way ;))

Dress - Modcloth via Kaelah's Closet, Belt - Country Road (gift from Morne), Shoes - A Little Brighter's Vintage Shop

When Morne was taking these pictures last night, I was a bit of a... brat. Long story short, my camera was playing up, I became really annoyed, and took it out on him. All was forgiven because I cooked his favourite dinner and we had homemade orange choc chip ice cream for dessert - but honestly, I am so lucky to have a boyfriend that puts up with my crap! Boyfriends and husbands the world over that suffer in the name of blog pictures, Morne feels your pain. Haha! Happy Tuesday!

Hydrangeas

2011-01-04T22:56:00.001+13:00

My sister's backyard is so picturesque at sunset that I had to use it for two sets of outfit photos! I wasn't sure whether I was going to post this set because my outfit isn't all too flattering in these pictures, but oh well. It was just something cool and comfy to lounge around the house in.

Tee - Witchery, Skirt - Mink Pink, Moccasins - Topshop

Since the rush of the holidays has died down I haven't been up to much - I was given this amazing ice cream maker for Christmas so the past few days have consisted of me making and eating ice cream, watching an embarrassing amount of Gossip Girl and trying to stay cool! (And, you know, a bit of bike riding to counteract all that ice cream. Heheh).

It has been horribly hot here lately, ugh. I am definitely not a summer girl. That said, I'm trying to plan a few fun things for Morne and I do before we go back to uni in two months. I know that time is going to fly by if it's anything like the past two months - I can't believe I'm halfway through my summer holidays! Eep. Hope you're having a happy week!

T-Straps and Tutus

2011-01-01T22:22:00.001+13:00

I know, two posts in one day... I'm on a roll! I did intend on posting these tomorrow but I couldn't wait. I loved wearing this outfit and even though they are a little fuzzy because it was getting dark, I think Morne did a pretty good job with these photos!

Our New Years was wonderfully quiet and relaxing. Like I said, Morne and I were house sitting for my sister so we just mooched around her place eating, watching movies and enjoying her pretty countryside views. While we didn't go anywhere, I still wanted to wear a pretty outfit for a little while! It turns out I'm just the kind of person that enjoys putting on a tutu and their best heels to go frolic in a paddock. Hehe.

Top - Scrapbook, Bellina Skirt - BB Dakota, Heels - Mi Piaci

When I first bought this skirt, I didn't think it would be that versatile - silly me! I've worn it with a plain cotton t-shirt and flats, dressed it up with this outfit and can't wait to wear it with tights, boots and a chunky cardigan in the cooler months.

What did you get up to on New Years Eve? And have you made any resolutions this year? I've not made any set goals, but this year I'm hoping to ride my bike daily, cook more and spend less time on the internet. I'm not worried about the first two, but the third is definitely going to be a little more tricky...

Mokau Beach

2010-12-30T15:12:00.001+13:00

On Boxing Day, on our way back to the beach house after the film, we pulled over at this little spot at Mokau. The lighting was really pretty so we stopped for a few photos, I'm so thrilled with how they turned out! This is obviously not an outfit post as I'm wearing the same thing as in my last post, but I wanted to put them up here anyway :)

So what has everyone got planned for New Years Eve? I'm having a quiet one this year - Morne and I are heading to my sister's place today to house sit for a few nights while she is away. (She lives in a pretty spot in the countryside just down the road from the place we went to for our Picnic on the Hill!) The night of the 31st I'm going to cook a special dinner and dessert and probably dress up even though we aren't going anywhere! Hehe. Have a happy one and I'll see you soon!

X

On the Boardwalk

2010-12-28T13:00:00.001+13:00

Hello everyone! Did you all have a wonderful Christmas? I certainly hope so. As you might have been able to tell from my last post, mine was spent cooking then eating my body weight in food, followed by lounging around the beach house in a partial food coma. Hah! We returned home from the beach yesterday, but I have a few posts lined up with the photos we got over the five days we were there.

The day after Christmas, we (my parents, sister, brother and Morne and I) headed into New Plymouth to see a movie and take a walk along the boardwalk. We almost experienced culture shock going to the city from the tiny town we had been staying in - Awakino has only a pub and a petrol station! We saw The Tourist, which I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would considering I'm not an Angelina Jolie fan!

Dress - Scrapbook, Cardigan - from Singapore, Wedges - Ko Fashion, Watch - Nixon

I was feeling very nautical in this whole outfit. I've had this dress since October and have worn it plenty of times, but have waited until now to share it - I wanted the perfect seaside spot to show you my 'sailor girl' dress! The buttons are little gold anchors, I love it. This will be my third outfit post in a row where I'm not wearing any floral, can you believe it?!

Please excuse the vast difference in lighting between some of these photos, they were taken at two different times! I've gotta say... Morne was looking pretty dapper in his cute Country Road shirt and hat, both of which I bought him for Christmas. He must think so too because he's letting me sneak in an outfit shot of him!

Shirt and hat - Country Road, Jeans - Huffer, Shoes - Converse

I didn't get a chance to say it in my last post, but thank you for all your sweet comments about my bike! I wasn't able to take it with me on our trip away so after I arrived home and unpacked last night I went for a ride. After stuffing myself over Christmas I thought it was a good idea! That bike ride was seriously hard work... I think too many homemade peanut butter cups, Ferroro Rocher and Green and Blacks mini chocolate bars are to blame. And we still have leftover treats EVERYWHERE! Oh dear. The 'it's Christmas' excuse still stands, right? (What am I saying. I need no excuse).

Happy Tuesday!

Beauty and the Feast

2010-12-26T10:18:00.001+13:00

Beauty and the Feast Dress - Spotted Moth, Shoes - from Singapore

Hello! I'm going to make this short and sweet, but we have super fast internet here so I thought I would do a quick post sharing some photos from our Christmas Day. We are having such a fun time here - the house is amazing and the beach is beautiful. We have a hot tub surrounded by fairy lights and a fridge full of Christmas treats. The above dress is my special Christmas dress, aptly named 'Beauty and the Feast', and below is a look at the feast itself! Yum :) Merry Christmas!

X

PS. My shoes made me feel like a glittery Christmas bauble. Hehe!

An Early Present

2010-12-22T19:21:00.000+13:00

A few days ago, I tweeted about a BIG Christmas present arriving at my house, and now I get to share it with you - my beautiful new bike! When I got home after a day out with my sister on Monday, my parents had snuck it into my flat and placed it behind my Christmas tree! I knew I was getting it eventually because I had picked it out myself, but it was still so exciting. I squealed like a little girl when I saw it, haha. I couldn't love it more!

I had been on the hunt for a decent vintage bike for a little while but wasn't having any luck, and all the vintage style, European bikes I fell in love with cost nearly $3000 (hmm, nope, not going to happen). Luckily my Mum and I got talking to a lovely shop assistant at a department store in the city who knew exactly what kind of bike I was looking for - "Amsterdam chic" were his words, I believe! Haha! He tracked down this really affordable Schwinn Ladies Cruiser, and we managed to snag the last one available in New Zealand(and they hadn't even got into the country yet - I picked it from the catalogue!)

All I need now is a little wicker basket for the front! I'm trying to convince Morne he needs to buy the men's version. Mine is called "Cream", and the men's is a wonderful dark brown bike called "Coffee". Wouldn't that be perfect?

Shirt and Skirt - Scrapbook, Singlet Top - Glassons, Flats - Garage, Watch - Nixon
Ok, perhaps that is enough bike talk for now... Although I don't have much to say about the outfit! This outfit wasn't anything fancy - I just wanted something comfortable and cool for a little ride around the lake. Don't worry - I was wearing little shorts under the skirt though! Hah!

Tomorrow my family, Morne and I are leaving for the beach where we will be staying until the 27th. My parents are renting a really gorgeous house right by the water and I'm so excited to get away and relax, open presents, cook yummy food and eat yummy food! I'm not sure what the internet situation is like so I may or may not be posting while I'm there. If I don't post again before then - have an amazing, happy Christmas and I'll see you soon!

The Christmas Spirit

2010-12-19T16:06:00.001+13:00

While I was writing up my last post I had to resist the urge to ramble on about Christmas for 5 (hundred) paragraphs. Like I said, I love this time of year, and I want to share with you guys a few of the cute festivities I've been filling my days with recently! (Side note: do you like my snowflake mug? Sadly, that's the closest I'm getting to having a white Christmas here in New Zealand....)

I've been listening to the Glee Christmas album almost non-stop. I say almost non-stop because I'm afraid if I had been listening to it non-stop, Morne would have broken up with me by now... hah! Kidding. I think. Baby It's Cold Outside is my absolute favourite, but I'm partial to a bit of Deck the Halls and Last Christmas too!

Since the colour scheme in my flat is basically white, black and red, I wanted to carry that through into my Christmas tree and decorations. For wrapping paper I love this beautiful red/white and black/white paper from Trade Aid tied with recycled twine, or plain brown paper tied with colourful ribbons. I love how all the differently wrapped presents look mixed together!

I hang up my prettiest cards on a red string with these cute little pegs - this card from last year is still my favourite.

While I'm a little sad the nearest Starbucks is too far away from me to enjoy a gingerbread latte everyday (are they not amazing???), this drink does a pretty good job of consoling me! It's called a hot schnocolate and is just hot chocolate with a teeny tiny bit of peppermint schnapps (or peppermint essence, if you don't have any schnapps or would prefer it to be alcohol free). I like mine with whipped cream, Christmas sprinkles and a candy cane. YUM.
What's getting you into the Christmas spirit this year? Tell me! And I'll see you next week with an outfit post :)

The Boots Are Back

2010-12-16T20:32:00.001+13:00

I can't believe it has nearly been two weeks since I last posted! Eek! December is flying by for me. I'm so wrapped up in everything Christmas at the moment. I finished all my present shopping yesterday, my Mum and I have planned the Christmas menu and I'm awaiting the arrival of my holiday dress! Ahh. I love it all.

I've seen a couple of bloggers rocking their winter boots with pretty summer dresses and thought I would give it a try! That and I don't think I could handle any more time apart from my beloved JC's. What did I say in my last post about not developing unhealthy attachments to my shoes? Oops... In my defense, I had planned to wear my little suede moccasins but it was raining on and off so boots were much more appropriate!

Dress - Scrapbook, Boots - Jeffrey Campbell, Watch - Nixon

I don't have much else to say today - I have to get off the computer to watch Elf and eat festive snacks with Morne! Happy Thursday!
PS. How do you like our attempt at getting a jumping shot? Haha!

Summer Sun

2010-12-06T10:09:00.001+13:00

Thank you so much for all the sweet comments and 'get well' wishes on my last post - they must have helped, I'm feeling much better! :) I think we took these photos at the perfect time last night. It's funny adjusting to the summer sun and finding the right time slot to get pictures now that it is getting dark so late. I know my blogger friends on the opposite side of the world are having the opposite problem and have to be quick to get their outfit shots in before the sun sets!

I like to highlight a different colour of the floral print each time I wear this dress - this time I went with mustard! This cardigan has lost a lot of its shape since I bought it in 2008, but I still love it. It was probably one of the better purchases I made while in Singapore on my way home after my France trip... I was jet lagged and had only had a few hours sleep so my purchases were pretty questionable!! (I'm talking a pair of purple with pink strawberry print dungaree shorts, gold glitter high heels - which I actually wore to my 2008 ball - and a huge leopard print cardigan from the mens section.. haha!)

Dress - Topshop, Cardigan - from Singapore, Effie Suede Wedges - Sam Edelman, Ring - Tree of Life, Watch - Nixon

I know I might look a little silly wearing these very autumn-esque suede wedges with my summer dresses, but I don't care! When I bought these I definitely had autumn fashion in mind but I can't bear to put these away until next year. Not that I'm prone to developing unhealthy attachments to my shoes or anything... ;)

I wore this for a little movie date with Morne, we went to see The Social Network and loved it! Now Morne has left for five days away at the beach with his guy friends, and I bet he's happy to get another break from getting outfit shots - he gets such a hard time! I'm always like, "Why didn't you tell me my fringe was all gappy and sideways? My cardigan looks all rumpled. I need a few detail shots now" etc etc. Hah! Anyways. How was your weekend?

Tulle & Teal

2010-12-03T14:15:00.001+13:00

Hello! I attempted an outfit post today because it's been a week since I've updated, but I've been sick with an awful flu since Tuesday which means...

a) My skin is a shade paler than usual, how very fetching!

b) I was incapable of walking two minutes down the street to the location I had in mind

c) I forgot how to accessorize

d) We only got one photo in which I didn't look like I was going to pass out, or puke. Bleh.

Instead of an outfit post you get a picture of me looking like a wannabe-ballerina that took too much flu medicine! I'm full of complaints today, aren't I? Haha! Morne and I were meant to be in town getting some much needed Christmas shopping done today, but I feel like rubbish so it will have to wait. I'll be consoloing myself by curling up on the couch watching Gossip Girl on DVD, eating popsicles and reading Marie Claire :)

Hope you're having a fun week!

Bellina Skirt - BB Dakota, Tshirt - Dotti, Too Hoot to Handle Ring - Modcloth, Flats - Garage

Pumpkin Pie

2010-11-26T21:56:00.000+13:00

I always have the hardest time organising the order of my photos on here, especially when we take photos in two different spots and I can't decide which set I like more! Such is the case today, and these photos might look a little jumbled... ahh, never mind! :)

Thanksgiving talk was pretty much inescapable in the blogosphere today. Of course we don't celebrate it here in New Zealand and I couldn't help feeling like I was missing out! A holiday to eat and spend time with your family and feel grateful for all the good things in your life... I want in! Haha. I'm celebrating in my own way... wearing my Pumpkin Pie dress from Spotted Moth! The name is very fitting, don't you think??

Pumpkin Pie Dress and Lumberjack Booties - Spotted Moth, Locket - vintage (via my Nana's jewelry box), watch - Nixon

The fact that we don't do Thanksgiving here doesn't stop me from being grateful, though... mainly for Morne/Mr Blog Photographer, who took these photos even though he was being eaten alive by mosquitoes. Also... just LOOK at that face. This was his sad face because I wouldn't buy him an icecream. What a mean girlfriend. Hmm... I need to get off the computer and pay him some attention! Have a great weekend!

Little Red Dress

2010-11-24T20:42:00.002+13:00

The wind was a bit full-on while we were getting these photos down at the lake tonight, but we got a few without my hair completely in my face, so it's ok! :)

Dress - Vintage Laura Ashley (via Upside of Wonder), Belt and Bracelet - Wild Pair, Shoes - Garage, Watch - Nixon

I'm so happy to post this dress on the blog again. I actually find it a little hard to style because of the colour scheme, but luckily it's so cute that it doesn't need much styling! (I first wore it in winter with black, grey and mustard here!)

This dress has made me wish I had more red in my wardrobe! I find it such a fun colour to wear, for some reason. This outfit was actually yesterday's outfit and while it is pretty simple, I thought it worthy of a reenactment!

How has your week been? I haven't been up to much of anything, but I love it! Today Morne and I baked a chocolate key lime pie and played playstation for a bit. Gosh, it felt weird writing that. Not the baking part, obviously - the playstation part! Hah! Morne and I made a deal a little while ago that for however long he spends taking outfit shots of me, I will spend the same amount of time playing playstation with him! Luckily for me, we spend hardly any time taking outfit shots - about ten minutes, three times a week perhaps? (Morne would beg to differ... he says it's much longer, heh). Do you have any 'bargaining techniques' with your photographer? I have to admit... I enjoy our time spent playing silly games (most recently, 'Ratatouille' some terrible racing game from the late 90's and 'Up') and it unleashes a competitive streak I never knew I had, haha! And in exchange, I get some great outfit shots - lucky me! :)

Happy Wednesday!

Leopard Lumberjack

2010-11-19T21:33:00.001+13:00

I know, I know. 'What's this?' You say. 'Eleanor's not wearing any floral, she has jeans on, AND her hair is up! Woah.' This outfit definitely felt a bit different to my usual style and out of my comfort zone when I put it on. But I have to say, I love how this outfit looks in these photos - and I felt amazing in it!

Jelly Bones Blouse - Eve Gravel, Jeans - Lee, Lumberjack Booties - Spotted Moth

I think this has a lot to do with the leopard print! I've never been a huge leopard print girl because I've felt like I couldn't pull it off. But when I saw this blouse, it totally changed my mind. I adore this blouse. I won it in a giveaway on Lulu Letty a little while ago, it came in the post this morning and I couldn't wait to wear it to show it off to you guys! The quality is amazing - I love the bow neck and ruching/pleating of the sleeves.

Another new item I couldn't wait to share with you - these adorable booties from Spotted Moth! Is it weird that I squealed when I opened the box when they arrived yesterday? Probably. They are just too perfect! Morne has decided they are his favourite shoes of mine, bonus! Boyfriend approval! Hehe. I raved about Spotted Moth in this post - I still have nothing but good words to say about them! I bought a few more gorgeous things from them which I can't wait to post about in the coming weeks.

This outfit was quite Autumn inspired, you could say. Not surprising considering most of my style inspiration is, except for a few great Kiwi and Australian blogs, coming from UK and American bloggers! Here, summer is definitely on its way... today was horribly muggy for the most part, although it cooled down considerably for quite a chilly evening! After we got these Morne and I went and had the best Indian food for dinner - vege samosas, onion bhaji, garlic naan, butter chicken (not for me, for Morne the carnivore) and yummy refreshing mango lassis. Wow, my blog is the epitome of good health at the moment isn't it... an Indian feast, blondies, picnic food.... hehe. Awesome.

Have a fun weekend!

X

Picnic on the Hill

2010-11-17T19:00:00.002+13:00

This has been one of those posts where I feel like I've written and re-written the introductory sentence about a hundred times. AHH. I actually have a lot to say about today's post... which I guess is the problem, haha! Today Morne and I packed a little picnic and headed up the hill to a scenic spot to eat yummy food and enjoy the sunshine. I should really say 'to eat yummy food and avoid the sunshine'... oh my goodness, it was hot today.

I've worn this dress a couple of times on the blog and while it isn't the most flattering item I own, I just love it. It was perfectly floaty and comfortable - two essential qualities in clothing when you're going to be filling up on spinach and feta pies, couscous salad, cheesy bread, chocolate and strawberries!

Dress - Mink Pink, Shoes - A Little Brighter's vintage shop, Sunglasses - Stash Eyewear, Watch - Nixon

The place where we had our picnic (picture below!) was really beautiful - the drive up there is a tad scary but the views are amazing. The particular spot we ate at was home to a sanatorium between 1902 and 1922 (mainly for tuberculosis patients and convalescent servicemen during WW1- oo, history nerd alert), but all that is to show for it now is one small concrete building. Apparently it's haunted there, and while I can imagine it being totally creepy at night time, during the day it is quite peaceful.

Since this post is relatively picture heavy already here is a little collage of some other photos from our afternoon. Do you like my picnic rug? I got it free from Topshop, of all places! I loved getting use out of my new picnic basket too, which cost me $24.99 down from $119! I don't know why anyone would ever pay $119 for a picnic basket... but I was quite happy to buy it for the sale price! Also - I wish the last photo did the view justice. Sometimes I forget how pretty New Zealand is! Anyway, enough rambling. I hope you're having a happy week!

PS. I'm going to the midnight screening of Harry Potter tonight, ahh! Who else is going? I am beyond excited :)

Blondies

2010-11-12T11:58:00.001+13:00

I haven't done a baking post in a little while now and I won't have my outfit photographer back until Sunday, so today I'll share with you the goodies I cooked up yesterday! Nigella's Kitchen was a gift from my grandmother, and as soon as I got my hands on it yesterday I knew I had to bake something that afternoon. It was hard to pick just one recipe to start off with, but I saw this blondie recipe had condensed milk in it and knew it had to be good. (Although baking with condensed milk is always a bit of a risk, seeing as I could eat half the tin before it makes its way into the mixing bowl...)

I'd never made blondies before but these turned out seriously delicious. Like a cross between a flapjack and a brownie, I would say. Nigella describes them as 'squidgy-bellied beauties', which makes me laugh - but she's right. The trick is to take them out of the oven just before they are fully cooked, because they continue to set in their tin out of the oven and you don't want the centre to be too hard.

I think for a first attempt mine were not too shabby! They were buttery, oaty and a little vanilla flavoured - mmm. The only changes I would make next time would be to add a bit more chocolate, because I'm greedy like that. You can find the recipe here. If you make them, please let me know!

I just realised I have only ever posted Nigella recipes on here. I wish I could say it will be different next time, but I have my eye on her Chocolate Key Lime Pie recipe.... hope you're having a happy week!

X

Spring Suede

2010-11-09T17:00:00.001+13:00

Sorry about the blurriness of some of these shots, my camera is obviously having a little trouble focusing! Bleh. Anyway, today's post is pretty much all about the two most recent additions to my closet - this little sleeved dress I gave you a peek at here and my new suede wedge booties!

Aren't the print and peter pan style collar sweet? I'm loving wearing this dress in spring on its own but I can imagine it layered in colder weather next year. Mind you, I would say that about practically all my dresses. ;)

So as I mentioned on here recently, I won a $100 Shopbop giftcard from Mara (YAY), then spent a little over a week mulling over what I was going to get. Around the same time Kate won a Shopbop giftcard, so over twitter we were sharing what we had our eye on - and we had picked out the exact same things (these shoes as well as this little outfit, which I'm seriously tempted to buy on my own)! Haha - style twins! We both eventually opted for these booties, I can't wait to see how she styles hers. When mine arrived I was a bit freaked out by the height (4inch heels! Eeep), but they are pretty manageable because it's a wedge. I have some impressive blisters after wearing them yesterday - but now that I've broken them in they are comfy. I love the style and tan colour, and was surprised by how many things in my closet they look great with!

Dress - Bold Sunflower Tunic from Topshop, Shoes - Sam Edelman Effie Wedge Booties from Shopbop

Morne is leaving early tomorrow morning for nearly a week away with his friends, which is a little sad - but time apart just makes you appreciate each other even more, right? :) I'll be doing lots of baking, reading and movie watching over the next couple of days, and I'm finally getting a hair trim as well as catching up with a girlfriend tomorrow. It's hard to get outfit shots without my photographer so you might be seeing more food and photo posts than outfit ones, but we'll see :)

In the Shade

2010-11-07T16:12:00.001+13:00

Hello! I've been saving this dress for an outfit post for a little while now. I received it in my ongoing swap with Tieka and I must say, I'm going to have a very hard time sending this one back! Heheh. It's so fun having a blogger friend on the other side of the world with the same size/body shape as me to swap with. This dress fits like a dream, I love it.

Dress - swap with Tieka, Cardigan - Glassons, Buckle Brogues - A Little Brighter's vintage shop, Necklace - Glebe markets in Sydney

I wish we got a close up of the print of the dress, it's really adorable. We didn't get a close up of my shoes either, woops - but these are my new favourite flats! A few weeks ago a kiwi follower of mine left a comment on here, I went to her blog, found her online vintage shop, and bought these shoes the day the auction closed! They are the perfect little chocolate brown buckle over brogues.

Morne did a particularly good job with the photos today, don't you think? Love how these turned out. Our Sunday has been pretty relaxing. We had a yummy brunch downtown (garlic and rosemary flatbread, fries with aioli, and iced chocolate milkshakes - mmm), then walked around the lake to get these. Now I'm blogging and watching Vampire Diaries! Speaking of which... I'm addicted! We're only just finishing up the first season here but seriously... It's my guilty pleasure :)

Hope you're having a fun weekend! See you next week (I can't wait to show off the shoes I talked about in my last post - they arrived, eee!)

X

Guest Blogger: Postcards From

2010-10-27T20:48:00.001+13:00

Aloha all you lovely Bonjour Bbydoll readers! I hope that you are all having an amazing day, its such a pleasure to be doing a guest post for Eleanor today! I absolutely love Eleanors blog and know that you do too..so I hope you digg my guest post aswell. My name is Kate and I run the blog Postcards From - and today after thinking of what to share with you I thought I would share one of my all time favorite recipes - the perfect pie!

I dont bake often, but when I do, my favorite thing to make is Key Lime Pies. When I was in grade 12, I went with my best friend to her summer home in Florida, and that was my first experience of Key Lime Pie. Can I just say, I was smitten from day one. I love bitter, tangy, sour, with a little hint of sweet in everything - so it was no doubt that this pie was going to be the perfect one for me! If you have never tried Key Lime Pie, please..try it! The ingredients are so simple (and cheap!), I know you will love it just as much as I do!

1 cup graham cracker crumb
3 tablespoons white sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 cup key lime juice
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 pinch salt
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 lime, sliced

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Mix graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press into 9 inch pie plate and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Separate 2 of the eggs, placing the two egg whites into a mixing bowl. Reserve the yolks in another bowl.

To the yolks, add one whole egg, lime juice and sweetened condensed milk. Whisk until smooth. With clean mixer blades or a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites with salt and cream of tartar until stiff, but not dry. Fold whites into filling mixture. Pour filling into partially baked crust.

Bake in preheated 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes or until set. Let cool at room temperature, then freeze 4 hours to overnight. Just before serving, whip cream to form stiff peaks. Serve decorated with whipped cream and lime slices.

You need to make this, and please if you do, let me know what you think! I hope that you are all having a terrific week so far...take care lovelies!! x

dress:ally x/sweater:thrifted/belt:thrifted/blogs:jimi loves mimi

Short and Sweet

2010-10-24T18:10:00.002+13:00

This is what happens when Morne decides he is far too busy being a diligent student to take pictures for me - I end up frolicking in the front garden in high heels, perching my camera on available window ledges, alarming the neighbours... and ending up with no decent full length shots. Well, I got one non-blurry one, but I look evil in it, no? Hehe. It's times like this I appreciate Morne's photographic generosity even more than usual ;)

Sweater - Country Road, Dress - TopShop, Watch - Nixon, Heels - Orbit

This is another outfit I nearly didn't post - I'm not really sure what's up with all the blogging self doubt lately! Sometimes I feel pressure to not repeat items, or to maintain a certain picture quality, both of which aren't realistic in terms of my wardrobe or my dinky little point and shoot camera! I know I'm not the only person that feels like this. Don't get me wrong, I love blogging, but it's nerve wracking sometimes! Your sweet and supportive comments mean the world to me :)

I don't have much else to say today, apart from happy Sunday! See you next week!

X

Bamboo Blue

2010-10-23T10:52:00.001+13:00

I didn't get many shots of this outfit that I liked, mainly because I think it looked way more slouchy cool in my mirror/imagination than it did in photos/real life! Hmm... We took these last night but I slept on whether or not I was going to post them, and this morning decided that both the lighting and my sweater are pretty enough to pull the post off! Is it obvious that I take this blogging thing very seriously? Sleeping on such important decisions? Hehe :)

This sweater was a bit of a splurge, to be quite honest! A Country Road store opened about 20 minutes from my house on Thursday, oh my. There clothes are so gorgeous and classy and well made, but they are also very pricey. I was won over by this sweater though - it's such a pretty shade of blue, is amazingly soft and unlike anything else in my closet! I also got it along with the singlet top underneath for about 40% off the full price, yay!

Sweater and Top - Country Road, Skirt - Mink Pink, Watch - Nixon, Flats, TopShop

This week has been a bit of a mixed bag - I got a really bad stomach bug and therefore failed to get much of anything done for days, let alone study! But by Thursday I was pretty much recovered so managed to make a lot of progress on my big research essay, and got two lots of great news - I won a $100 Shopbop giftcard and got A+ for two book reviews for my global history paper that I was really anxious about! Weehee!

Hope you're having a great week! See you soon :)

High Tea, Higher Heels

2010-10-17T18:58:00.026+13:00

As I mentioned in my last post, today my friend Amber and I went to a High Tea/Spring Fashion Show in our town! I had a gorgeous, spring-y outfit all planned, and an amazing outfit shoot in mind on the steps of the Town Hall with the big magestic pillars in the background, etc etc... but the weather had other plans! It was super cold and raining pretty badly so I adjusted my outfit and got these shots under cover.

This is the latest item I've been sent in the swap Tieka and I have going! Isn't it beautiful? I was determined to wear it today even in the cold weather, so turned to the blogosphere for inspiration - I saw that Jen wore it with a black jacket and Julie paired it with black tights and black heels, and combined the two!

Dress - Rodarte for Target via Tieka, Jacket - Rip Curl, Tights - Columbine, Shoes - Number One Shoe Warehouse

These heels were my high school ball (prom) shoes and cost me about $20 - you can definitely tell when you walk in them, believe me! They are the highest heel I own, don't have much support and kind of paralyse your feet for a good few hours if you wear them too long, hah! Thank goodness it was a seated event. I know many people wear much higher heels but I'm a real baby about these kinds of things! The fashion show itself was really fun! We ate teeny tiny sandwiches and little cupcakes, watched lots of pretty things come down the runway and had a good girly catch up.

It was such a great way to spend my Sunday. For the rest of tonight I'm relaxing while I can, because next week I'm delving into my study as well as a research essay worth 40% of my grade. Eeep. I'm a firm believer in regular study breaks so I will find time to do an outfit post, of course :)

X

Coffee Date and A Clutch Bag

2010-10-15T21:15:00.002+13:00

I look a bit glum in some of these photos - I assure you that wasn't the case! After I got home from my last class today (also my last class of the semester! Eee!) Morne and I went downtown to our favourite restaurant to drink coffee and eat cheesecake in the spring sunshine! We have both had a pretty full on week so it was nice to spend a relaxing afternoon together.

Singlet Top - Little One, Skirt - Mink Pink, Cardigan - Glassons, Brogues - TopShop, Sunglasses - Stash eyewear, Bracelet - Wildpair, Watch - Nixon, Clutch - gift from Tieka

This simple, comfy outfit was perfect for our little coffee date. I know I wore this top a few posts ago - oo, what a cheeky fashion blogger! Haha! Looking at these photos I'm wishing I tucked it into the high waisted skirt, but I do love the lace detail at the bottom.

I loved reading the comments on my last post about the little things making you happy this week! What is everyone getting up to this weekend? I have work all day Saturday and a lot of study to fit in but on Sunday I'm attending a little fashion show my girlfriend Amber! (She reads this blog - hey, girly! Hehe!) I have an outfit planned which I'm really excited about - I can't wait to show you!

Plain and Simple

2010-10-11T21:55:00.001+13:00

Hello! If you follow me on twitter you might have heard about winter's surprise comeback here this morning... it was cold enough today to warrant me digging out all the tights and thermals I had only just put away! This outfit was a bit on the plain and simple side - but Morne convinced me that sometimes simple is best. And I'm loving the fact that it's getting darker later now, I didn't get home from uni until 6pm but it was still light enough to get these, weehee!

Skirt - Mink Pink, Thermal top - Glassons, Tights - Columbine, Clogs - Boston Babe, Watch - Nixon, Bracelet - Wild Pair

I saw this watch in Frankie magazine roughly a year or so ago and have wanted it ever since - my parents surprised me with it on my birthday last week! I haven't worn a watch for years as I've found it hard to find a watch that suits my tiny wrists (and fits them! My wrists are weirdly small!) But this one is perfect, and I love how classic looking it is.

Morne came over as soon as I got home tonight with a belated birthday present for me that just came in the post, Russell Brand's second book!! I was so happy. Russell Brand is my comedic hero and a bit of a hottie in my opinion. I've watched his Doing Life Live DVD so many times I think I know it off by heart. Sometimes I just turn the sound off and ogle him... joking! Sort of.... But really, I think he's beautiful and a really brilliant writer - I have his first book, which I adored, and now I have the second to get stuck into! I said to Morne, 'don't worry about coming over tonight, Russell and I need some alone time.' Not in the dirty way, though! Bahah! Morne understands. He has been dealing with my love for Russell for the majority of our relationship ;)

I realised I didn't do a post showing off the little goodies I got for my birthday, so - here is a little look! I'll go through them below.

Russell Brand's Booky Wook 2: This Time It's Personal; Masha and Friends set of 15 note cards; adorable red squirrel money bank (now bff's with my similarly sized black owl); a cute Paris, London, New York paperweight; my Nixon watch; Katy Perry's Teenage Dream (I have a girl crush on her the size of Africa); and a sweet cupcake card! Lucky me!

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, and that Monday is treating you kindly!

Birthday Bows

2010-10-05T11:25:00.001+13:00

Hello! You have no idea how ridiculously long this post is taking me - our high speed internet ran out so both blogger and photobucket are almost intolerably slow! But I really wanted to post these pictures, so I'm persevering (and managing to get some history reading done while waiting for photos to upload. No joke).

Dress - Little One, Cardigan - Glassons, Wedges - Ko Fashion, Bracelet - Spotted Moth, Sunglasses - Stash
Well as may know from Sunday's post, yesterday was my birthday! I didn't have any big plans - I went to uni (but my lecturer didn't even turn up, grr), had a yummy afternoon tea down town with Morne, looked at the shops, got these pictures, and had an amazing dinner at my favourite restaurant with my family and the boyfriend. Followed by cake and presents at home! I might have to do a photo post later in the week showing them off! Isn't this dress so sweet? I loved coordinating the bow at the top with my bow bracelet.

Yesterday I left the house with bare legs for the first time since the balmy weather at the beach. I'm getting a taste for my summer holidays - exactly one more month and uni and I'm free for four months! Eeee! I can't wait.

I have another outfit from my dinner but I'm not in love with the photos we got, so we'll see if I will post that outfit or not! Thank you to all the people that sent me sweet birthday wishes, they really made me smile :)